1. Boosting universities and research centers: NRENs and RRENs are SMART
Sabine Jaume-Rajaonia
Strategy Director - RENATER

2. Why is RENATER involved in the development of NRENs in Africa?

3. A journey from France… to Europe … to the World

4. RENATER, the French NREN
Signatory of a MoU with WACREN since 2011
Transfer of knowledge / expertise
WACREN NRENs invited to RENATER national conference
Member of WACREN
Pragmatic approach :
collaboration with 2 French research centers (CIRAD and IRD) also located in Africa
Focus on Francophone countries
Cooperation with AFD
NREN roadmap prepared for E&R ministries in Madagascar, Cameroun, Côte Ivoire
Looking forward collaborating with UbuntuNet

5. So how do NRENs and RRENs boost universities and research centers?

6. Challenges
Africa has a great challenge ahead in terms of education as its population is very young
need to develop (e-)education,
need to provide access to educational content
Research is more and more multidisciplinary and a digital divide may lead to scientific divide
need to access to research instruments/supercomputers/datacenters
need to develop collaboration with international peers

7. NRENs key enablers and vehicles for progress and excellence
A national e-infrastructure providing both a secure “high bandwidth” network and a portfolio of services
is driven by education & research communities needs
Based on putting resources together and sharing costs
Helps foster international collaboration
Protects scientific, education, cultural heritage
Contributes to lowering the digital divide (foot print, shared costs, …)
And has societal and economic impacts

8. NRENs : national organisation part of an international eco-system
NREN primary do focus on fulfilling the needs of their users
But are part of a larger eco-systems : the Regional Research and Education Network (RREN)
Provides International connectivity
Provides services
Offers opportunities for collaboration
NRENs are part of the RREN governance and cost sharing models
Moreover, RRENs interconnect regions of the world together to offer global connectivity.

9. « Smart » is Specific NRENs and RRENs are dedicated to R&E users
a unique target, with needs ranging from mail to access to databases of supercomputing
+ a demanding target, requesting agility and “tailored” offers
Dedicated infrastructure and services (Acceptable use policy, equity principles…)
User support and transfer of knowledge (trainings, conferences)
NRENs are more than a network : they benefit from their government support.
 Universities and Research Centers are at the heart of NREN strategies

10. « sMart » is Measurable
impact of connecting R&E users to NRENs are measurable
Cost savings
Efficiency of Network and services (illustrated with KPIs and user’s satisfaction surveys)
Risk mitigation (implementation of security policies/services, authentication tools,…)
 Universities and Research Centers benefit form high professional services

11. « smArt » is Agreed & Achievable
Respectively at their national and regional levels, NRENs and RRENs have governance models in place (General assembly, Board...etc).
Which decide on clear objectives, shared, and agreed in order to be pragmatically implemented with available resources
Universities and Research Centers can impact of the strategic decisions of their national NREN.
Not just “customers” – “partners”

12. « smaRt » is Realistic
NRENs and RRENs develop in complex and different environments:
in terms of policies (telecom market maturity and regulation)
funding opportunities …
Good collaboration between Users & their NREN and between NREN & its RRENs has to be as “realistic” as possible : “one size doesn’t fit all”
Needs communication, good understanding of challenges/constraints, finding compromises…
3/5 years planning of activities
Benchmark in the community (other NREN or RREN) is of good help

13. « smarT » is TRUST « Win Win »
In summary Universities and Research Centers belong to a trust framework
User  NREN RREN 
Users are the key stakeholders and NREN, RREN do their best
to fulfill all ”digital” needs
to ensure performing network and infrastructures
to remain cost effective
« Win Win »

14. « We are stronger together »
Merci – Thank You
« We are stronger together »